Chapter 37

That…was actually rather hero-like of you. Syn’s voice, for once, wasn’t filled with snark. That being said, Dan really didn’t want to hear it right now.

He’d thrown the match. The moment Ben had made it not just about Dan, but also Jason’s spot on the JV team, he knew he couldn’t go through with it. That wasn’t how he wanted to get a spot on the team. And he doubted Ben would have acknowledged him and given him the spot. Instead, Dan decided to take one for the team, so to speak, and he proceeded to double fault the next two serves, to tie up the Set. And after that, he threw the match. In the end, Jason came out the victor, and James walked away.

Still, it stung. He’d been the better player. He was confident in that. With the skills Peter had been teaching him, and the magical system now at his disposal, he was better than Jason at tennis. Though, not by much. And now, he wasn’t even able to practice the rest of the week, courtesy of Ben and his bullying ways. Which, really sucked. How as Dan supposed to get better, if he couldn’t practice?

Like, you made the guys and I actually shed a tear. It was so heartwarming. Syn’s voice continued as Dan left the tennis courts. Normally he would still have another hour or two worth of practice time. Granted, stamina wise, he would have likely only practiced for another 30 minutes to an hour. But now, he didn’t even have the opportunity to do that. So, what should he do now? Head back to his empty house? That seemed…depressing.

“Shut up Syn.” Dan grumbled as he walked back to the locker room. He really had no idea what he was going to do now, and Syn was the last person he really felt like listening to.

I’m just saying, Syn continued, in typical Syn fashion, not respecting Dan’s wishes. You actually portrayed ya know, a hero trait there. It’s almost like, you were starting to discover your potential. Or at the very least, moral code. You should be proud about that.

“I threw my first ever tennis match. Ben got what he wanted, I can’t practice for the rest of the week.” Dan muttered angrily as he headed into the locker room. “What is there to be proud about there?”

Well, pretty sure your standing with some of the tennis players just went up. And I can assure you, your actions definitely weren’t unnoticed today. It’s one thing to simply take things by force. It’s another to earn them. Today, you took a step in earning respect from the others, even if you don’t see it. Seriously, good job Dan. Was…was Syn really praising him? Like, legitimately praising him?

“But at what cost?” He lamented. “I could have improved so much in this week. I need to make up for lost time. I need to keep grinding out my skills.”

Well… Syn went quiet for a moment, and Dan could hear some murmuring going on wherever he was. Syn was obviously discussing something with the others that frequented around him. Who and what they were, Dan still had no idea.

You could always do other things this week, to level up your powers. After all, the higher you climb with your powers, the more you unlock, and the more capable you become.

Dan stopped where he was, his mind suddenly racing. Syn had a point. When he’d reached rank 2 of his power, he’d unlocked his minor skill assist. As well as more detailed information on everyone. If that was what came with Rank 2, what would the next rank bring with it?

“What are you proposing?”

Look. Normally, we try not to give out too much additional information. But the guys here agree, your actions just now, they came at a cost. And we want to reward you for putting on not only a good show, but also, for showing us a little more of who you can become. So…have you thought about spending the week playing a different sport?

Had he what? That…that was actually not a bad idea. Physically, it would help him keep gaining increases in his strength and agility. And from what he understood of his powers, gaining and leveling up skills was what helped him improve the rank of his powers. So, if he played another sport this week, he could level up a wider range of skills, and improve himself overall. And maybe, just maybe, he could hit rank 3 by the end of the week. Then he would be able to jump into the next week of tennis with a higher rank to his powers, and obviously, a renewed fire. Plus, Peter would be back by then, which meant Ben and the others wouldn’t be able to stop him from training. It, was actually a brilliant idea.

There was just one other thing to think about. What sport should he play? The school had a variety of sports going on in the fall. Tennis was one of the popular sports at the school, but they also had a rowing team, a football team, and a…

Yeah, you figured it out, huh? Syn chuckled, back to his normal, snarky self. Why don’t you go play soccer for the week, and see what you can do with those skills there? Besides, it’s good for continuing to build up your dexterity, constitution, and stamina. Thank me later.

Syn cut off their communication with a chuckle, and Dan couldn’t help but smile as he left the locker room, with a renewed sense of purpose. Tennis bag in hand, Dan jogged over to where he knew the soccer team practiced The private school was rather large, and the school had two grass fields, as well as an AstroTurf field for the soccer team. Personally, Dan hated playing on Turf. The ball moved quicker, and slide tackling on it sucked. But rich schools always had a Turf field, so it helped to practice on both. It was similar in a way, to practicing on the hard courts and the clay courts. You had to get used to playing on the different surfaces, and recognizing how the ball, and how your footing, would be impacted.

Dan’s mind raced with all things soccer as he jogged over to the soccer fields. He could see countless kids all practicing on the field, chasing the telltale checkered ball around. It was a sport Dan loved. Hell, if not for Peter, he would have already been out on this field, playing soccer instead of tennis. Then again, if not for Peter, and that fateful first day, he wouldn’t have been where he was, and he wouldn’t have had his powers. So maybe, just maybe, these things were happening to him for a reason?

His thoughts about destiny, and whether or not everything was connected, and other such philosophical things faded as he got to the soccer field. There was…one small problem with playing today. One minor oversight he’d spaced, in his excitement. While his shorts and shirt were fine for soccer practice, he was missing two key pieces of gear needed to play the sport. Cleats, and shin guards. Both of which were currently at home, in his bedroom, gathering dust.

“Damnit.” He muttered as he turned away from the field. Syn’s laughter echoed in his head as he started the jog home. So maybe he wasn’t going to play soccer today. But tomorrow, he would bring the right gear, and he would see about practicing with the team for the rest of the week, until he could step foot once again on the tennis courts for practice. Tomorrow, he would once again get to play the sport he’d excelled at. Tomorrow, he would play soccer.